Tag: covergirl

You know when you are a makeup lover when you go to Walgreens with a 101 degree fever to buy some Nyquil and stop by the beauty aisle just to see if there is anything new worth buying.

Well, if you happen to have been at the Walgreens in Hialeah, FL about 2 weeks ago and saw some crazy looking woman in leggings, a Wonder Woman t-shirt 2 sizes too big and some orange flip flops carrying Halls Cough Drops, Nyquil, Gatorade and some Covergirl products then you met Yours Truly at her finest.

I like to make an impression everywhere I go.

If I am going to be honest, I didn’t go very deep into the beauty department. I just kind of wandered a bit through the front displays and got distracted by Covergirl’s latest updates to their Vitalist line. As a HUGE fan of their Vitalist Healthy Elixir foundation (it’s really the only one I use), I was so excited to see that they brought out pressed powder, concealer, lip oils, highlighters (but they look more like paint pots) and even repackaged their foundation to make it all look cohesive.

I immediately grabbed the powder and concealer, but opted to leave the other products behind as they only had a clear gloss and the only highlighter/paint pot shade available in my store was in a coppery color, which are about a dime a dozen in my collection. Besides, in the state I was in, I was probably eyeballing products that will cover up my zombie like facade and not really looking to add shine to my cheekbones or anything.

Just saying.

It wasn’t until a few days later that I did end up using the products and let’s start with the winner of the two: The Powder. It’s really light and creamy to the touch and even though it comes with a sponge applicator, I find that using a fluffy powder brush works so much better. I lightly use it to set my under eye concealer (more on that later) as well as my foundation around my T-zone and it literally made everything look so velvety and smooth. I could honestly say that after wearing my makeup for a full 8+ hours, there was minimal shine on my forehead and chin and my undereyes looked FREAKING awesome. I did have to touch up my nose area at one point during the day, but I am not going to deduct major points for that because that is my problem area.

Powder: A (solid)

OK, so The Concealer. The minute I pulled the top off and saw that it was one of those brush applicators where you have to twist the product and then it spills out, I knew this was immediately going to get at most a B grade. I HATE those applicators. I hate how much time I waste twisting the end cap to get the product out and then it just all gloops out and you have to keep on twisting to get more product out and it just never seems to be enough. There should be a law that states that concealers should always come in packaging with a wand applicator that you just dip in and out. It just makes life so much easier.

With that being said, I didn’t think the formula was any better or redeemable. It was thin and because the applicator sucks, it just applied streaky and patchy regardless of whether you used a sponge, brush or your finger to blend. Overall, it just requires too damn much product to cover any dark circles. Did I mention that this product cost $8.99 and you only get .01 ounces? I don’t know about you, but I’ve gotten free samples with more product than that and required WAY less effort to achieve the desired effect.

Concealer: C- (and I feel like I am being nice)

For the record, I’ve been using my Tarte Shape Tape with the Pressed Powder and it’s such a good combination.

Have any of you tried the other products from the Vitalist line. Any thoughts? Let’s get the party started and have a conversation in the comments section. I love hearing from you all.

Till next time, my friends!

Maritza

***Links in this post are affiliated and I do receive a small commission if you decide to purchase products directly from Amazon.***

You ever find a beauty product that you are supremely loyal to? I’m not really talking about loving a brand and buying all or some of their products, but rather a specific item from a specific brand that you always buy? Well, that’s me with mascara.

Last year, I got a sample of Marcelle’s Xtension Plus Curl mascara in a Birchbox and ever since then, I have never found another mascara that compares. It lengthens and curls my lashes to perfection without leaving them clumpy. I have gone through like 4 tubes and even though I have tried various other mascara’s since then, they are always a big fat “Nope”. I don’t even own any other make up from Marcelle except for this mascara and the reason I keep on trying to find a good substitute is because Marcelle isn’t currently sold in any stores and I have to buy my beloved mascara from Birchbox or from directly from their website. Loving something so exclusively means that unless you have back ups, if you happen to lose, misplace or, God forbid it gets discontinued, you are basically up shit’s creek.

I’ll be like Elaine from Seinfeld when her favorite contraceptive sponge got discontinued and she had to ask all the men she was dating if they were “sponge worthy” before agreeing to have sex, except every time I put on make up, I’ll have to decide if today’s event is mascara worthy.

Me: Is the movie we are going to see “mascara worthy”?

Hubs: It’s Justice League

Me: Oh HELL NO! I’ll just wear sunglasses so nobody can see my shame.

So, my search continues for a good replacement and when I was in Target a few weeks back, I came across Covergirl’s Peacock Flare mascara. Immediately, I was drawn in by the packaging. I am a serious sucker for art deco and the feathery blue and black triangle design on the tube, gave me Great Gatsby vibes, so I threw it in the cart without a second thought.

Unfortunately, that is where the love ends. The minute I pulled the brush from the tube, I groaned. It had these short, rubber spikes that are so popular nowadays on mascara, but that I hate with a passion. I often wonder whatever happened to the traditional curved bristle mascara brush. They are definitely going the way of the dinosaur and as a girl with thin, wispy lashes, the rubber spiked wands just turn my lashes all clumpy and creepy Annabelle doll looking, when what I want are feathery curled lashes.

However, I soldier on and begin to apply the mascara. In preparation for the clump, I wiped down the bristles a bit and applied, beginning at the root and doing that little jiggle all the way to the tips. The first swipe, left most of the product at the root, but didn’t give my lashes much volume. So I wait a bit and apply a second layer, but the product is just kind of hanging around at the root and not really going anywhere else. I can’t seem to get it to lengthen.

This is where I find that a bristle brush excels. The fibers of the brush carry the product from room to tip and help make your lashes long, which still providing that volume that you need. The rubber bristles in this mascara are a little too far apart to do the job for me and thus the dreaded clump.

Not judging here though. If you are digging the clumpy lash look, then by all means, go and grab a tube of Peacock Flare. However, if you want more feathery lashes, then don’t be deceived by the bird reference and continue the hunt for your favorite mascara replacement.

Also, if you happen to come across any bristle, curved mascara’s and want to give it a shout out, leave it in the comments below. I will be happy to give it a try to see if it is a good replacement for my beloved Marcelle Xtension Plus Curl.

It’s Sunday, so you know what that means? Time to scour the weekly ads to see what deals we can snag. Now, I’m not a big coupon clipper, so I am sure there are some gals and guys out there that can snag an even better deal than me, but I do appreciate saving a few bucks here and there, so I always look forward to Sunday so we can see what our local drugstores are cooking.

In Miami, the largest drugstore chains are CVS and Walgreens, so we are just going to be reviewing these two chains, but remember, if these are not in your area, you can certainly order online. You can use Ebates on top of the sales, which might make it even more of a steal.

I do also shop in Walmart and Target for beauty products, like Hard Candy and Pixi, that you can’t find at the drugstore, but tend to think that if you wait for just the right time, you can get better savings at the first two places for all other products.

Before we start, make sure you have already signed up with CVS ExtraBucks and Walgreen Bonus Rewards Program. If you haven’t by now, what the heck are you waiting for?

CVS is within walking distance to me, so I always hit them up first and right off the bat, I have a big bull’s-eye on two savings:

Full disclaimer: I am not fond of the Katy Kat Matte lipsticks. I find them to be a bit too dry on the lips and they have a very strong waxy smell. However, Sofia loves them. She is a big Katy Perry fan and seeing as her birthday is coming up, I think she would enjoy a few of these, so at $7 a piece, if you buy two, you get $7 back in ExtraBucks, which makes it $3.50/each. Score!

When you get to the cash register, pay $14 and pocket those $7 EBs for next time OR do two separate purchases and buy the L’Oreal Lash Paradise that everyone is raving about and that I personally have been eyeing for quite some time. Pay $9.99 for the Lash Paradise and add one of the L’Oréal Colour Rich Mono Eye Shadow, which I highly recommend as they rich and very pigmented, for $5.99. Use the $7 EBs earned from the KP lipsticks, which brings your total down to $9 and you get $5 back in EB’s to use next time. Total price for L’Oréal: $4.

Total Spent at CVS: $22 – $5 EB’s = $18

Also, did you know that CVS carries high end products online? You can shop for La Prairie, Philosophy and Vichy and use your EB’s to get some savings on these pricey products.

After CVS, I head on over to Walgreens. I personally like Walgreens a bit more than CVS as they carry a larger range of beauty products in store, including my new favorite, Soap and Glory.

However, this week, I am not wowed by many sales in store. In fact, the only one that has me slightly excited is the Buy 1 Get 1 50% off Simple Micellar water, which I do like a lot. If you combine that with the $3 off coupon in the Sunday paper, you end of paying $8.68 for both bottles or $4.34/each. This is a great time to stock up!

But, before I decide to completely write off Walgreens this week, I see they are having an online Summer Send Off Sale, which includes Soap and Glory. You save 20% of certain products and if you buy 2 or more you get a XXL Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss mini. I love the Flake Away Body Scrub and Smoothie Body Buttercream, so I stock up on those, as with the 20% off, they come out to $12/piece ($6 savings for both). And let’s not forget Ebates since we are shopping online. Walgreen’s has 7% cashback, so that would make it $11.16/piece.

Total spent at Walgreens: $32.68 – $1.68 Ebates = $31

Not too shabby, my friends. Not too shabby at all.

Any of you score some sweet deals in your area. If so, share in the comments below. I’d love to see what I am missing.

Did anyone blink and suddenly it was July? I know that this is something that we all say, but I am really getting concerned about how quickly time is flying. It’s time to stop and smell the roses, people!!
With that being said, it’s also time to showcase June’s Hot Picks. These products were the ones that made me say “Damn, Girl! You look good” when I checked myself out in the mirror last month.

Hot Damn Pick # 1Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil. I will start off by saying this product is EXPENSIVE!!! I don’t know about you, but shelling out hundreds of dollars all willy-nilly on skin care isn’t in my monthly budget. I’ve got kids to feed! But this stuff is good. I mean really good. It’s a retinol oil blended with crap loads of botanicals and essential oils. It’s does smell somewhat grassy and it’s blue straight out of the bottle, however, it sinks in clear. The morning after I first used it, my skin was glowing and I haven’t stopped using since then. A little goes a long way, so I recommend buying the 0.5 fl oz., which will cost about $55 at Sephora and you should get a good 3-4 months use out of it.

Muy Caliente Pick #2Cover Girl Vitalist Healthy Elixir Foundation. This product was all over Instagram and YouTube in June. Some loved it, others hated it and the beauty world was divided. It was Civil War. I was in the love category. The formula is creamy and, although it says that it’s full coverage, I don’t particularly believe that claim as my freckles peek through. Not a problem because what I love about this foundation is that it looks like skin. It’s glowy, long lasting and a perfect base for your make up. It comes in a variety of shades and runs you about $10 or less at the drugstore.

It’s Getting Hot in Here Pick #3Benefit’s Galifornia Blush. I’ve never been a fan of Benefits blushes. I know for the past few years, they have come out with their cheek palettes and they were very hyped, but I always found their blushes to be quite dusty and either too shimmery, too pale or too matte. In walks in this Beachy Babe of a blush. It’s a gorgeous golden peachy pink that flatters multiple skin tones. It’s perfect for summer as it gives you that “I just came back from the beach” look. It does have a slight shimmer, but it doesn’t look like you accidently picked up the highlighter instead of blush. Did I mention it smells like coconuts? Benefit also has a travel size version, which is just so darn cute and perfect to throw in your beach bag or tote.

Smoking Hot Pick #4Hard Candy Velvet Mousse Matte Lip Color. Back in the 90’s, I lived and breathed for Hard Candy and it’s like going back in time every time I peruse their display in Walmart. I ended up purchasing one of these lippie beauties this month and was completely blown away. First off, it smells like cupcakes. The formula is gorgeous. It’s went on even and the pigmentation was excellent. It’s long lasting, but surprisingly comfortable and they cost $6! I vowed to throw one in the cart anytime I was in Walmart because these are a great buy. I don’t know why I don’t see more people talk about them.

Jal -a -peno Business Hot Pick #5Boscia Charcoal Makeup Melter Cleansing Oil Balm. I got a sample of this in one of my Sephora orders and kind of ignored it for a while. I was generally pleased with my nighttime routine and figured why change things. Of course, as is always the case, you run out of one of your regulars and shop the sample pile you have thrown in a drawer for a quick replacement to do the job at that moment. Boscia is one of my favorite skin care lines as their Sake Brightening Hydrogel Mask is one of my favorites, so I figured they would not let me down. Let me tell you, the people at Boscia must have made some deal with the devil, because this stuff wipes every speck of makeup from your face. I don’t know how they do it, but all I can say is that my face is not only clean, but it doesn’t feel tight, which sometimes with products that have that kind of cleaning power, have a tendency of doing. I know they also came out with a Charcoal Jelly Ball Cleanser, but I like the product in a pot simply for storage and traveling reasons.

I know there were a lot of new beauty releases in June and I am excited to see what you all think should be added to the list above. Share and leave your comments below.